Statement of prosecution policy in cases involving domestic abuse

The dynamics of domestic abuse can sometimes result in victims facing barriers to participation in the criminal justice process. This may be exhibited in a number of ways including a victim not making a complaint to the police or feeling unable to give evidence at court.

When considering reports of domestic abuse, prosecutors assess whether there is sufficient corroborated evidence that a crime has been committed by the accused, whether there is a realistic prospect of conviction, and whether it is in the public interest to raise, or to continue, criminal proceedings.

Where there is a sufficiency of evidence and a realistic prospect of conviction, there is a presumption in favour of prosecution in all cases of domestic abuse. This includes cases where a sufficiency of evidence and a realistic prospect of conviction exists even if no evidence is to be led from the victim and cases where the victim may require additional support to enable then to engage with the criminal justice process.